2007 Kit

[Gdeaver]

Comparing last year KOP drive train with this year. 2006 the drive train with the addition of 2 21 tooth sprockets, 2 28 tooth sprockets, a box chain and 4 kludged up wheel adapters gave a team a nice 4 motor 4 wheel drive base. Could be done in one night. With this year's kit we get 2 wheel drive and the opportunity to spend allot more $$$ to get 4 wheel drive out of the kit drive train. What do we do? Buy 2 more 56 MM gear heads and associated sprockets and go with four wheel independent drive or buy the 2 cim gear case add on and use 1 56 mm gear head. I have reservations about putting 2 cims into 1 56mm gear head. Maybe others will have a more analytical comment on the input handling of the banes bot gear heads. Then there is the output shaft loading issue that Banes bots warns about and the additional bearing plate they sell because of it. Then again we could just use the 2005 KOP gear boxes. They're in pristine condition and have proved to be robust.
The Andy Mark KOP wheels have much softer rubber. The Skyway wheels last year wore down allot. I'm afraid the softer compound may be a wear problem. I think we may put disposable rubbers on the wheels. Also I think the Skyway wheel profile was a positive when driving on carpet.
I can see the BB gear heads being a positive for our arm drive.
The encoders available from BB are a definite step forward.
Over all with less then 24 hour I have to say the kit is 2 steps forward and one back. Our team is going to need some additional funds to make this work this year. Last year we got away real cheap.